For new Kedah Menteri Besar Ahmad Bashah Md Hanipah, family comes first.

His love for his family probably cost him his education.

Ahmad Bashah, 66, was forced to sacrifice his studies and work to see his younger siblings - two sisters and a brother - through university.

After helping his father to run a small business, he shouldered the task of being the man of the house when Md Hanipah died.

“I admit that I only have a secondary education. After my father died, I had to take over his business. I was the second child and the elder son in the family,” he told Bernama in an interview.

Ahmad Bashah does not see his lack of higher education as an obstacle for he makes use of his experience to achieve success.

“I have been an elected representative (in Bakar Bata) for five terms since 1995. I became actively involved in politics in my 20s because I wanted to serve the people.

“These are valuable experiences for me to be a leader. I see them as an advantage.

“I am also convinced that my two terms as a state executive councillor and two-and-a-half years since 2013 as a deputy minister will be of help in discharging my duties as the menteri besar,” he said.

Ahmad Bashah resigned as the deputy domestic trade, cooperatives and consumerism minister and as a senator on Feb 3 after he was named as the new menteri besar of Kedah.

Ahmad Bashah may be calm and always smiling but the criticism hurled at him on the social media over his academic qualification has been hurtful.

“I am used to it, but my children are unable to accept it. I have advised them to be patient,” he said.

In the world of politics, Ahmad Bashah has strong support from his wife, Hizam Awang Ahmad, 56, and their daughters, Anis Hafina, 34, Amira Hazwani, 29, Aliya Hanani, 28, and Azira Hafizah, 25.

“Praise be to God, all my children have had tertiary education,” he said with pride.

Ahmad Bashah, 66, was sworn in yesterday as the 12th menteri besar of Kedah, taking over from Mukhriz Mahathir who resigned a day earlier citing loss of majority support in the state legislative assembly.

- Bernama